When the Light Goes Out
by kaustic-kiwi
Summary: “Do you still think I don’t exist?” “Yes,” Inuyasha replied. The girl smiled and walked forward toward him, eyes angry but mischievous. She reached to him, as if to grab him, but her hand slid through his chest… IK, rated to be safe. Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

When the Light Goes Out

Kiwi: Hello, people who may become readers! If you know me, you probably hate me for dropping my other stories. Kagome's Story is definitely dead, but Like A Cinderella Story may just come back. Not sure yet. I don't even know where this is going. I've never watched the movie, Just Like Heaven or something like that, where the guy moves in and there's a woman ghost still there. But I saw the pre-views and thought it had merits. Then I had this idea, going off partly of what I saw, and my own twists. And now, here's your disclaimer!

I don't own Inuyasha or the movie that this was sorta inspired from. Don't sue, you won't get much, and I'm far too lazy to add this every time, so know it now. I OWN NOTHING THAT IS FAMILIAR IN ANY WAY.

So yes… lets see where this goes, shall we? Enjoy.

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_Hello my little black book,_

_For future reference I will never 'dear diary' you. Too disgraceful. And really not who I am at all. You're an odd little thing, and I would ask where you came from and who you belonged to if you could answer. But, that's all right. My own friends talk too much to listen to me anyway. I've always wanted a journal, and now I have found a new journal and a new house. Maybe Mom was right, maybe we can start over here…_

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The car pulled in front of the new house and parked, followed by the moving truck.

"Well, it looks a bit old, but we'll help you clean it up," assured the man in the front passenger seat, gray-blue eyes surveying his friend's new house. "At least it's out of the way, in big open country."

"Yeah, just means more work for me to fix it up," grumbled the silver-haired driver, triangle dog ears twitching in annoyance as his amber eyes looked over the place as well.

"Oh c'mon, it's not nearly as bad as you make it seem," the passenger replied, stepping out of the car. "Hey Sango," he called over to the truck, "everything all right back there?"

"Well, I didn't hear anything breaking," Sango replied, stepping out of the moving truck they had rented while the driver got out of his car.

"Sango," the silver hair boy complained, "did you really have to leave me with him?"

"And what, let Miroku touch me again? No, he's your friend." Sango replied, eyes still glinting evilly at the man, now known as Miroku, cowered slightly behind his friend. Sango was scary.

"Yeah, I wonder what was wrong with me," the man replied.

"Inuyasha, I'm hurt. Think of all I have done for you!" Miroku replied, stepping back with a hurt, yet a bit dramatic, gesture.

"Well, you have made life more interesting… but only because it's funny watching Sango beat you up." Miroku cringed slightly. Sango sighed, she could still see the faint impression of her hand on his cheek.

"Well," she huffed, tossing her head and sending her brown hair whirling in irritation, "he deserves it." Her attention turned to the house they stood in front of. "It really does look like a nice place to live, and now you live close to us again." The three companions looked at the house. It was not too old, but rather uncared for, in the design of what a shrine might have been like after renovations. Inuyasha could see the forest in the surrounding area, a single road leading into a near by city. All this land, untamed and untouched for what looked like years, was his. He had moved here to be closer to the school he, Sango and Miroku would be attending. That was his excuse anyway. They were in their summer break now, about to enter the school as seniors. His older brother had bought this house as a summer resort of some kind, but Inuyasha decided he wanted to move in, or just away from his brother.

"All right, enough day dreaming, lets get you moved in!" Sango declared, heading for the back of the truck.

"Of course, my fair Sango," Miroku grinned perversely as images of Sango bending over to life boxes came to his mind.

"Oh no, not you. You can go open the doors," Inuyasha stated as he grabbed the small pony tail Miroku had at the nape of his neck to hold back his black hair.

"What? Why?" he complained as he was pulled back from his fantasies.

"Because, I want my things in one piece, not broken over you're thick head." Miroku took the keys Inuyasha had held out and turned toward the house, grumbling about lack of trust after all he had done for them.

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"Wow," Miroku murmured as he opened the front door, "it's really dusty in here." He looked into a wide front room, with stairs at the back leading to the upper floor. There were a few covered furniture items that looked as if they had not been touched in a vast amount of time. Miroku crossed the room to a doorway by the stairs, where he found a disused kitchen in much the same state. On the back wall, behind a counter that extended from the left wall was a sink and fairly old stove. Miroku guessed the house was at leastthirty years old, judging by the stove. 'But for such an old house, it looks in good condition…' He continued to the right of the room, where there was a large glass sliding door that led to the back and side of the house. Miroku opened this to let some air in, noticing the large tree on the property that stood out before the backyard became wooded area.

Miroku headed back through the house and into the front room to help with the unloading. Hey, he had opened the house up, and he still could admire Sango's butt… Miroku was almost to the door when he saw a figure go up the stairs. 'That's odd, I didn't see Sango or Inuyasha come in,'

"Hello? Is there anyone here?" he called while going up to the stairs. At the top he found a hallway, two doors on each side of the hall. He opened the first door to find it empty save for a dust-ridden bed. The second door led to a bathroom, old, but still functional. He was halfway down the hall way now. The third room was apparently a study of some kind, a desk occupying one corner, a bookshelf devoid of nearly all books on the other. The last room was another bedroom, with another dusty bed, but no person. 'That's weird. I thought I saw someone come up here.' As Miroku headed out of the fourth room, he noticed a small chord at the back of the hall. 'An attic?' He pulled on it and sure enough a set of stairs came down. 'Aha! So this is where you went." Climbing up the steps, he was immediately blinded by the large amount of sunlight coming from a window opposite the stairs. Blinking, he could just make out the figure of a girl turning around to look at him, standing in the light. However, when he cleared his sight, he saw no one there and only a mostly empty attic.

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"What is taking him so long? Is he going to help at all?" Sango complained as she set down the last of Inuyasha's things he had taken with him on the grass.

"What and have him grope you again? It's not like I have much."

"Good point. I hope a dust bunny ate him." Inuyasha smirked a bit at that. He didn't laugh.

"Well, then I'll go get his remains," he decided off-handedly. Walking through the open doorway, he called out "Miroku! What the hell is taking you so long? Where the hell are you!" Just then Miroku began coming down the stairs. "What's with you, man. The dust choke the hamster runnin' on the treadmill in you're head or what?"

"Yeah," Miroku responded, obviously distracted. Inuyasha just gave him a weird look that took Miroku a bit to notice. "Wha- hey!"

"Took you long enough. Since you've taken the tour, where should I put my bed?"

"There's already two in here. You've got an attic too."

"So that's where you were."

"Yeah, I thought I saw somebody."

"Was she a girl?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"You've got the dumbstruck look on your face. So, where is she?"

"That's the thing, I don't know. There one minute, gone the next."

"Man, the dust really is getting' to that hamster, huh?"

"Shut up, I'm serious."

"Seriously delusional."

"Whatever, it's just a bit weird." Inuyasha just shook his head in pity, dodging the playfully hard punch from his friend. (Miroku knew better than to hit him for real.) They headed back out to help Sango move in the stuff. On the top landing of the stairs a pair of brown eyes watched them go.

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Sango and Miroku had stayed late into the night helping make the place livable again, the reason behind their staying the night. They had aired out the rooms, removed the older, rattier looking bed and the worst couch, moved everything in, unpacked, and set up whatever else they had to. Between them the work went by pretty fast, being hampered only when Sango nearly through a toaster at Miroku after kicking him for groping her butt. Miroku was now making himself comfortable on the couch, seeing as that was where he had been condemned while Inuyasha and Sango got the beds.

"It's not fair! I worked harder than to be left on a couch!"

"Tough luck man. My house, I get to sleep in my bed the first night. Go cry to Sango." Inuyasha said, more than a little annoyed with the pervert.

"Don't even bother. It's safer with him on a different floor," she said, entering the kitchen for a glass of water before heading to her room for the night. Grabbing a glass from a cabinet, she turned toward the sink. When it was about halfway full, the faucet stopped running. Turning the handle back and forth to no avail, Sango sighed and headed out. 'Old house.' "'Night guys." Inuyasha headed up soon after her.

His own house. His own freedom, at last. It was big, and dusty, but it was far away from his obnoxious, stuck-up brother. No one to tell him one thing or another, to remind him of his inferiority. Not perfect, but it was good enough. Still one thing bothered him, what Miroku had said about the mysterious, disappearing girl. He did not need a homeless beggar in his house.

"AHHHH!"

Inuyasha sat bolt upright. That was Sango. He charged out of his room in time to hear another scream of fright from Miroku. Inuyasha went down the stairs to find Miroku cowering behind the TV and pleading to Sango as she loomed over him, murder in her eyes.

"S-Sango, please-"

"I don't want you're pathetic excuses! You die today!"

"Please, what did I do?"

"Don't even! What were you going to do as I was asleep! Of all the dirty things you've done-!"

"Wait! I didn't do it!" Sango was about to tear him apart when Miroku ducked behind Inuyasha.

"Don't even try to defend him!" Sango glared at the cowering blob.

"But Sango, I think he's telling the truth. Even he's not that perverted."

"Oh please! I saw someone in my room, right by my bed! He's the only possible culprit!" She pointed an accusing finger in his direction.

"I knew it!" Miroku declared, still behind Inuyasha. "This place is haunted!" Sango and Inuyasha just looked at him oddly, Sango still unconvinced. "What? It's true, and it explains the girl I saw earlier?"

"Wait, what? What girl?" Sango asked.

"I saw someone earlier today, I swear, but she just disappeared. Poof!"

"Poof?" Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at him. "The dust is still suffocating you, huh?" Sango just glared at him.

"Ugh!" she yelled, throwing her hands up in frustration, "I'm too tired for this!"

"But it's true!"

"I'll tell you the truth. I catch you in my room, you won't have any kids." One last glare and she went back to bed. Inuyasha and Miroku just looked at each other.

"Feh. You really need to think of better excuses. That almost didn't work." Inuyasha stated, heading back for his room.

"It wasn't an excuse. Inuyasha, I mean it. Something's going on here."

"Yeah, you being perverted. Nothing supernatural about that."

"No, really-"

"Go back to bed."

Miroku re-positioned himself on the couch, thoroughly convinced he was right. This house was haunted.

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(I know Inuyasha is a bit OOC right now… okay, just really distant. That will get better, promise!)

'Ooh, the nerve of him! And what's with that lame excuse?' Sango stormed into her room and retired to her bed. Starring angrily at the ceiling, she continued to rant in her mind and imagine ways to punish him when Inuyasha wasn't looking. For all their posing, Miroku and Inuyasha were close. At least, Inuyasha occasionally accepted his advice.

Knock. Knock.

"Sango? Are you okay?" Sango shot up and glared at the door before throwing it open.

"How kind of you to knock this time! What the hell do you think you're up to now-"

"You're not crying." Miroku stated, as if confused.

"Why the hell would I cry over you!" Sango nearly screeched as she raised a hand to slap him.

"But Sango, listen." They stopped for a moment, Sango listening to the quiet, bemused. Then she heard it, soft crying.

"Who's that?" she asked, forgetting her anger.

"I don't know. Not Inuyasha." As if on cue, the afore mentioned half-demon came out of his room.

"Oh, am I interrupting your groveling, Miroku?"

"Did you just wake up?"

""Cause of your screaming, yeah. Hey, who's crying.?" Inuyasha asked, ear perked in interest.

"We're not sure,"

"But it's a girl," Miroku stated.

"And how would you know?" Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at him.

"He's probably made many girls cry," Sango huffed, still angry.

"Oh, come Sango. That was a little low, no?" Miroku looked hurt.

"Oh shut up, you deserved it pervert," Sango replied, turning toward the attic draw chord. "C'mon, it has to be coming from up here."

Carefully, quietly the three of them entered the attic, all turning their attention to the figure in the moonlight flooding in from the window. A girl with long, dark hair and in fairly modern clothes was crying into her hands, kneeling on the floor. The three stared at the sight of the girl sobbing.

"I told you so," Miroku whispered. At that the girl looked up, big pearl tears falling from what should have been warm, kind brown eyes. Instead, they were filled with as much sadness as tears. One simultaneous blink from the three teens standing at the attic entrance and she was gone.

"You guys saw that, right?" Sango asked, still staring at where the girl just was. The boys nodded. "And she did just disappear, right?" They nodded again. "So, either we're all crazy or-"

"I was right and this place is so haunted," Miroku said, not all to happy he had been right.

"Just like Fluffy to let me move into a haunted house," Inuyasha muttered in annoyance.

"Your brother couldn't have known," Sango reasoned, "and even if he did, that doesn't change the fact that you live here now, and-"

"And it's haunted." Sango sent Miroku a dirty look.

"And something's going on." Inuyasha groaned. _Just what I needed._

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Sango and Miroku both waved to Inuyasha.

"What, you guys scared of my house?" Inuyasha called after them. Miroku nodded vigorously and Sango punched him.

"C'mon, we live within walking distance! We're not leaving forever!"

"Yeah," Miroku piped up, "and if you get scared you could just run over and-" Miroku was knocked senseless as a squirrel connected with his head with considerable force. Sango sighed and dragged him away.

"Me? Scared? Sango must have hit him too many times," Inuyasha mumbled. He dragged himself into the kitchen, now complete with a virtually empty refrigerator, and grabbed a packet of ramen to cook. When that was done, he sat down to enjoy his wonderful breakfast. He just about to start when his spoon flew out of his hand. He eyed it curiously before picking it off the ground. 'That was…strange.' He was just about to start again when this time the whole pot of ramen from which he had been eating out of tipped over.

"Damn it! Fuck that's hot!" Inuyasha cried as the ramen spilled over him, jumping out of the way. Now looking at the mess on the floor, stool and counter top, he thought he heard laughter. "Oh you think this is funny, do you!" he hollered to the house. "Well, why don't you show yourself? Fucking pussy!" 'Great, now I'm going crazy. I'm screaming to the house…' But he wasn't done yet. "I bet Miroku was wrong! I bet you don't even exist!" The laughing stopped ringing in his ears. Inuyasha didn't know what was wrong with him. He didn't believe in ghosts.

Suddenly the room grew cold. Inuyasha could vaguely see his breath. 'It's summer, for Christ's sake! Why the hell is it so fucking cold!" He watched as a figure appeared in front of him. Long black hair tumbled down her back, her eyes were closed as if she was concentrating, and her skin was deathly pale. She wore a faded blue top and jeans. When she seemed solid, she opened her eyes.

"Do you still think I don't exist?" Inuyasha stared at her, the girl that had been crying in his attic.

"Yes," he replied after swallowing. The girl smiled and walked forward toward him, eyes angry but mischievous. She reached to him, as if to grab him, but her hand slid through his chest. Inuyasha stared down at the hand that was going through him, no longer able to hide the look of shock on his face. The girl smiled and continued walking until she passed through him. For the briefest of moments, Inuyasha felt intense despair and loneliness. The girl turned to face him again.

"And now?" she asked, triumphant. Inuyasha looked at her a moment, recovering. Then his trademark smirk appeared on his face.

"There's no such thing as ghosts." The girl's victorious smile left her face and hardened in anger and annoyance. She glared at him in defiance.

"What are you, stupid?"

"What ghost wears jeans?" She turned around, growling in frustration and began to fade away.

"Wait-" Inuyasha tried to stop her, he had never had a conversation with a ghost. She turned only to glare at him, nearly gone. "Who are you?" a stupid question, like it even mattered compared to all the other things he wanted to ask. But she stopped fading.

"Why on earth would that matter?" Inuyasha shrugged.

"Just trying to make a conversation."

"…Kagome." He looked at her and smirked, again.

"Inuyasha," he said as he stuck out his hand. Kagome just gave him an odd look. Inuyasha realized his mistake and mentally hit himself. "So, uh, what was with my breakfast?"

"You eat ramen for breakfast?"

"You're avoiding the question." She smiled.

"I want you out of my house." And with that, she was gone.

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Inuyasha had cleaned his breakfast from the floor and was preceding to search the house for this girl, Kagome. He had gone through the living/front room, the kitchen, the attic, his bed room, and was now in the guest bed room.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered as he bent to look under the bed.

"You know, it's a bad sign to be talking to yourself." Inuyasha jumped and looked up. There on the bed was Kagome, lying on her stomach and watching him while propping her head on her hand. "Looking for me? I thought I didn't exist." Inuyasha flushed in embarrassment.

"I just wanted to figure out how to get you out of _my _house."

"And dust bunnies know that? And it's my house."

"No, it isn't. This house is mine, and you're dead." Kagome glared at him intensely before disappearing again. Inuyasha growled and stood up to leave the room, almost walking through Kagome.

"Even if I am dead, I'm not leaving." Inuyasha groaned and sat down on the bed.

"Were you this annoying when you were alive?"

"You're no picnic either. Such a jerk."

"You better be glad I can't touch you." Inuyasha glared at her before flopping back onto the bed. "Hey…" he sat up, only to find Kagome was now sitting on the edge of the dusty mattress. "Were you the one in here, scaring Sango?" Kagome flushed palely.

"She didn't seem scared, just mad at that other boy." Inuyasha looked at her, expecting an answer. "Well, this is my old room," she said indignantly.

"You lived here?" Kagome looked at him like he was a moron.

"Yes genius, why else would I want to stay?"

"So you've been trying to chase us out?"

"Not really. You just made so much noise, it startled me. It has been quiet here for a long time. Why did you move here anyway? It's not exactly a pretty place, and far away from people."

"I don't like people."

"That's it? You could've built a wall around you're old house or something."

"And be boxed in with my brother? I prefer even you to that."

"I'll pretend that was a compliment." Kagome looked at him. "Do you believe in me now?" Inuyasha looked at her.

"Why do you care?"

"Ghostly pride, perhaps."

"Hmm…"

"Oh shut up. You're talking to me."

"So?"

"Oh, screw you. Never mind."

"Huh."

"What?"

"Well, I never thought even ghosts would want to-"

"Cocky bastard!" sliding off the bed she vanished and Inuyasha found a pillow being shoved in his face.

"Hey! Not fair!"

"Life never was," he heard her detached voice say. Then she was sitting on the floor, looking at him. Inuyasha threw the pillow at her, which was fruitless seeing as it passed right through her.

"How do you do that?" he asked, rolling over to look at her. Kagome shrugged.

"There's perks to being a ghost. Beside the being dead part." She grinned ruefully at him. "Do you know what year it is?"

"Yeah." Silence.

"Will you tell me?" Kagome asked finally.

"What does it matter to you?"

"Oh, come on. Please tell me." She even through in the puppy dog pout; big eyes, quivering lip and everything.

"Ugh, what a disgusting face. Fine, fine. 2006." Kagome looked startled.

"Really? Wow, it seems so much longer…"

"What does?"

"How long I've been dead."

"Oh." Inuyasha looked down. He couldn't imagine it was a lovely subject to talk about.

"It's not that bad. It doesn't hurt as much as you would expect," she told him.

"Really?" Kagome nodded.

"At first it's a bit scary, the dying. But when it's actually over, it's just weird. Takes some getting used to."

"What's it like? Being dead?" Inuyasha asked, genuinely curious.

"Oh, I don't know. Weird. I don't have to eat or sleep. I feel… empty."

"Empty?"

"Yes. There's no life left. It's rather lonely, actually. But what's done is done." She smiled at Inuyasha suddenly, a kind smile that reached her eyes. "For such an ass, you're a good listener. Thank you." Inuyasha didn't know what to say.

"Feh," he decided, turning back to the ceiling to hide the slight blush. Kagome smiled as she looked at him. It was nice to have someone in the house that had been so quiet.

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Kiwi: wow, that was a lot longer than I thought it would be. I doubt all the chapters will be so long. But yes, I like the idea of this story, hope you did too! Well, review if you want, I hope I get the nest chapter out soon. Until then!

Ja ne!


	2. Chapter 2

When the Light Goes Out

Kiwi: Hello people. First, I want to say I'm sorry, but it's not my fault! I had problems uploading this thing, so sorry… here's the chapter now.

I would like to thank peoplekityo, who seems to review all of my fics, and palii for reviewing. So, THANK YOU!

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_Hello Notebook,_

_I think I will have to think of a name for you. Oh, school was horrid today. This guy, Koga I think, made a move on me, so I slapped his sorry ass. He gets all mad at me, as if he didn't deserve it! For that, I've been labeled outcast (and a few other things), which is fine because if fitting in means being stupid, then I refuse. And if Koga comes near me again I will kick him in the Place the Sun Don't Shine. Grr!_

_You are so wonderful, even if you are a notebook. You're my only friend, and I think I will take you to school more often so that I don't feel so alone. But, as wonderful as you are, I wish I had someone to talk to…_

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Inuyasha tossed and turned at a dream he was having late in the morning. Finally he rolled over on his back and opened his eyes, only to stare straight into Kagome's face.

"Good morning!'

"Yah!"

Thunk!

Kagome, hovering over Inuyasha's bed, had startled Inuyasha so much that he had jumped and rolled right off his bed. Needless to say, Kagome was having a fit of giggles.

"Hey! That was not funny you little bitch!"

"Not a morning person, are we?"

"Gee, you think?" Inuyasha glared at the girl, still hovering nice and happy over his bed. "Did you watch me sleep or something? That's creepy."

"Don't flatter yourself, it just makes you more conceited. I thought I would wake you up. You're friends are coming." Inuyasha got up, untangling himself from the man-eating covers and turned to look at her.

"What about you?"

"Oh. If you like, I'll just stay in the attic. I won't scare anyone anymore, promise!" she grinned at him at moved as if she would just float to the attic from where she was. Inuyasha had a roguish look on his face.

"Would you like to meet them?"

"Sure. But would they like me? I mean I am a ghost."

"Yeah, I think they would." He replied, an evil plot forming in his mind.

"Inuyasha? What is that look for?"

"Wanna help me… welcome them?" Kagome looked at him oddly for a moment, then grinned widely.

"Tell me what you have in mind."

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"Inuyasha? You home?" Sango called, entering the house, Miroku following behind.

"Probably still sleeping,"

"Miroku!"

Slap!

"Worth it every time…" Miroku grinned stupidly with a new handprint on his cheek.

"You are so hopeless! In front, now!"

"But Sango! I don't want the ghost to-"

"Oh shut up you wuss!" with that, Sango shoved him forward into the house, following behind him. "Hey Inuyasha! Get up!"

Slam!

"S-Sango, was that you, slamming the door?" Miroku asked, peering behind him.

"No, it wasn't. Oh, quit being a baby, it was probably Inuyasha." Then a pillow hit Sango in the head, who had been about to open the door to look for the half-demon. "Miroku!"

"It wasn't me! I swear!" he cried as she whirled on him. Then another pillow hit him in the face. "Sango, please tell that was you."

"No, I'm afraid not…" suddenly they were in a hail storm of pillows pulverizing them of their own volition. Sango ran to open the door to escape, but couldn't open it. "It's won't open!" Panicking now, they ran into the kitchen to open the side door, only to find the bowls, pots and pans swirling around, occasionally clattering at their feet. The faucets began running, the pipes screeching and groaning. Miroku grabbed Sango and dragged her out of the room. They ran back to the living room, Miroku cowering, Sango preparing for a fight, backed up into a wall, both looking with sheer terror at the sight of flying objects around them.

Flash!

Everything stopped. Sango and Miroku saw spots before their eyes, and heard Inuyasha roaring with laughter at the top of the stairs.

"Oh man, you two were priceless!" The silver-haired half-demon continued laughing, holding his sides while coming down the stairs. In his left hand was a camera.

"Inuyasha, I'm gonna kill you!" Sango screamed, lunging for him and the camera. Inuyasha just barely moved out of the way and darted around around the room, always keeping the camera out of reach.

"No you won't! At least, not before I develop these and send them to the yearbook committee!" Eventually, Sango gave up in a defeated huff and fell onto the couch.

"Inuyasha," Miroku asked, "how did you do that? It was… amazingly convincing."

"You might want to join Sango on the couch." The two looked at him, but Miroku obliged. "Now, I have someone to introduce to you. Kagome!" The sound of ringing laughter filled their ears, and next to Inuyasha Kagome appeared, giggling like a fool.

"Ahh! The ghost!" Miroku cried, jumping to his feet.

"Shut up, moron," Inuyasha said, whacking him over the head. "Sango, Miroku, this is Kagome. Kagome, Sango and Miroku." Kagome waved cheerily. "She helped me with that little prank of mine."

"Oh, it was so fun!" Sango and Miroku just stared at her, awe-struck. Then, Sango began laughing so hard, she doubled over. Soon Miroku was chuckling too, then Inuyasha and Kagome joined them.

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"Do you want to sit down?" Sango asked Kagome, standing in the middle of the room, after their laughing fit had subsided.

"Oh no, that's all right,' Kagome answered as she sat down in mid-air. The others just looked at her. She shrugged. "I'm a ghost, comes with the whole being dead thing."

"So, um…" Miroku started, "I don't mean to offend, but what's it like, being-" he gestured to her floating state.

"Being dead?" Kagome smiled. Miroku nodded. "Don't worry about offending me. I'm all right with being dead. And it's like I told Inuyasha, it's an empty feeling. You get used to it. Well, that's what it's like as a ghost anyway." Sango sighed and leaned back into the couch the three of them were sitting on.

"This is…. weird. I've never talked to a ghost before." Kagome nodded.

"I know how you feel. I haven't talked to anyone in-" she counted silently in her head, "seven years."

"Wow! You've been, uh, deceased for that long?" Miroku asked. Kagome nodded.

"Wasn't it lonely?" Sango questioned. Kagome shrugged again.

"Yeah, I guess. I got used to the quiet, then you guys came."

"Sorry for disturbing you," Sango apologized. Kagome shook her head.

"It's all right. Really. I had a lot of fun today. It used to be so boring… and I didn't always like being all by myself."

"Um, if you don't mind my asking, why didn't you go to heaven? Or does it exist?" Miroku asked.

"I don't know if it exists," Kagome told them, "and because of the circumstances of my death, I couldn't really go on."

"I'm sorry. It must have been strange watching over everyone you left behind." Sango mumbled, truly apologetic. But Kagome shook her head again.

"I didn't leave anyone behind. Mama and Souta had already died, and I didn't have any friends. Maybe that's why I took so well to death, there wasn't anyone I didn't miss already." She looked down, sad. Inuyasha saw the glint of a tear or two, and felt his heart go out for her. Sango then stood up.

"Well, don't worry about that. You have friends now." Kagome looked up.

"R-really?" Miroku nodded and Inuyasha smirked. Kagome's face broke out into a huge smile and she sailed up into the air for a moment. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" Something about her being so happy made Inuyasha smile just a bit.

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The gang had retired into the kitchen to eat. Laughing so hard in the morning was a workout, and Inuyasha hadn't had any breakfast yet. As they sat down, Sango turned toward Kagome.

"What about you?" Kagome smiled.

"I don't really need to eat,"

"But, you don't mind-"

"Of course not," Kagome said, shaking her head, "don't stop eating for me. I don't even remember what food tastes like. Just pretend…I'm on a diet." Sango smiled. Miroku decided to change the topic a bit.

"So, Inuyasha, what delicacy are you going to prepare for us?"

"Uh…ramen?" Miroku and Sango sighed.

"So typical, Inuyasha. How is it you're not fat?" Miroku asked.

"I have a faster metabolism than you humans. Now, you want any or not?" Miroku shook his head in defeat as Inuyasha walked over to fill a pot with water. _Oh, _Kagome thought, _that's why he has those cute dog ears…_

The meal was going along fine, Sango, Miroku, and Kagome mostly stared at how fast Inuyasha consumed his ramen.

"That can't be healthy…" Kagome commented. Sango and Miroku nodded. Inuyasha glared at them.

"And what would you know about healthy? You're dead," he mumbled through the ramen.

"Inuyasha!" Sango yelled at him. Kagome just glared at him harder before disappearing.

"See what you've done! How can you be so… grr!" Sango ranted.

"Oh, don't worry about me Sango," they heard Kagome say from somewhere. Suddenly, the remaining ramen in Inuyasha's bowl raised itself up into the air. The could see Kagome's face in the soup, like some weird sci-fi movie. "He is right. However…" the body of ramen drifted over Inuyasha's head, then fell over him, "he's still a jerk." Miroku laughed outright, while Sango at least tried to muffle her laughter. Inuyasha growled slightly and threw his spoon at them, but it stopped in mid-air and turned around to collide with Inuyasha's thick head. Kagome re-appeared next to Sango and Miroku. "Really, Inuyasha, you shouldn't try to out-do a ghost." She stuck her tongue out at him while he fumed.

"Oh, poor Inuyasha," Miroku mocked in his baby voice, starting another round of laughter.

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Inuyasha had headed to the bathroom to wash the ramen out of his hair, leaving Miroku, Sango and Kagome bored.

"What do you guys want to do?" Miroku asked. Sango shrugged.

"It's much funner making fun of Inuyasha," Kagome nodded.

"Was he always so cross?" Miroku and Sango looked at each other uneasily. "Oh. Sorry. I understand. Um… why not go outside?" Sango looked at her.

"Can you feel the sun?" Kagome shook her head.

"No, but I can remember." The three of them went through the back door in the kitchen into the wide backyard.

"I've been meaning to ask," Miroku addressed Kagome, "what is that tree?" He pointed to a large tree off to the side of the yard, much larger than the ones of the forest that started behind it.

"That's the God Tree. It's supposed to be centuries old. This place used to be a shrine, and this tree was sacred. It watched over the forest and over the house." Kagome looked up at the tree from her position on the ground.

"Wow," Sango mumbled. Miroku nodded.

"Well, what shall we do now?" Kagome asked, turning around to face them. They shrugged. "Oh come on? No ideas at all?" Kagome put a ghostly finger to her chin. "Well, this is childish, but what about hide-and seek?"

"You would suggest that, you can disappear!" Miroku accused. Kagome laughed.

"Well, we can't play tag. I'll stay visible, I promise. And I won't even hide inside a tree or anything!" Miroku still looked skeptical.

"Oh, come on Miroku. It's better than sitting here," Sango argued.

"Whatever. But I'm not it."

"Not it." Kagome looked at them.

"Oh, all right. It was my idea anyway. I'll be it." She turned to lean against the God Tree and began to count out loud, while Miroku and Sango broke apart and ran into the forest. When Kagome turned around, everything was silent and peaceful. Smiling softly, she glided through the first trees of the forest. Nothing moved. Then she heard a slight rustle. Grinning widely she silently floated to the sound. There, crouched behind a bush was Miroku, trying ever so hard to be quiet. And failing. 'Oh, how original.' Kagome drifted to the opposite side of the tree he was partly using for cover, then abruptly stuck her head through the tree, and now facing Miroku shouted, "Found you!"

"Ahh!"

Rustle. Crash. Laughing.

"Kagome! Don't _do _that! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Kagome looked at him oddly. Then they both started laughing hysterically.

"Y-you…" laughing, "should have…" more laughing, "seen your face!" more laughing, "And you scream like a girl."

"Hey! I do not!" Kagome just laughed at him again while Miroku crossed his arms furiously. "Ha ha! You look like Inuyasha!" Miroku looked down at himself.

"Oh my, I do!" Cue another round of laughter. Soon their breath was caught and they set off to find Sango.

"You know her Miroku, where would she hide?"

"I have no idea. Probably somewhere ingenious." Searching for a bit, they listened for anything that may give Sango away. Nothing.

"How is she so good at this?" Kagome asked.

"She comes from a long line of demon-slayers actually." Kagome made an _o _shape with her mouth. Suddenly Miroku turned to what seemed to be a random tree and pointed. "Try there."

"How do you know that's where she is?"

"I don't," Miroku smiled. Kagome sighed and went over to the tree in question, peering through it to the other side. No Sango. She turned to Miroku and shook her head. "Huh," he muttered as he joined Kagome at the tree. "I could have sworn she would be here…" he looked around the tree, frowning. The he looked up, grinning perversely.

"Miroku, what are you looking at?" Kagome asked. 3…2…1…

"Miroku, you are such a _pervert!_" Sango cried in furry as she jumped from the branches she had been hiding in, where Miroku had found the perfect view. Miroku yelped and fled out of the way.

"S-Sango, no need to be angry-"

"I'm going to murder you!" she screamed. Well, wouldn't you be pissed if someone had been checking out your ass? Miroku near screamed and ran back toward the house, Sango chasing him all the way. Kagome followed as fast as she could while laughing at their antics. When she finally caught up to the pair, Sango was chasing Miroku in circles around the backyard of her old house, Miroku screaming and begging for mercy, Sango ranting about how she was going to neuter him. Kagome's laughter doubled at the sight of the two of them, running around until they collapsed on the ground. Looking up at Kagome, still laughing, Sango asked,

"What's so funny?" Kagome giggled.

"You two," she replied, humor subsiding. Then she smiled, and despite Sango's irritation and Miroku's fear for his life, they smiled too. Inuyasha, watching the scene from the study window, shook his head at them. 'They are hopeless. Still, Kagome looks so happy,' he smirked a little to himself.

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The end of the day came too soon, Sango and Miroku sabotaging Inuyasha with the hose for payback. He then joined them for their hide and seek, childish as it was, then they sat outside in the fading light. Sango soon stood up.

"I have to get home. But I'll come back tomorrow. I'm glad I met you, Kagome!" Kagome smiled at her.

"I should be leaving too. It was a pleasure, Kagome." Kagome waved at them as they left, beaming. She then began spinning around in joy on the ground.

"What's your problem?" Inuyasha asked from his place on the ground, looking up at her.

"I have friends," she stopped spinning and smiled, looking up at the darkening sky. "I guess that may seem stupid, but I don't mind. For the first time I can remember, I have people to talk to,"

"Can't you remember the friends you had when you were alive?" he asked, propping himself up on his elbow. Kagome shook her head.

"I didn't have any. People didn't like me," she shrugged. "It's not like that matters now, I am dead and all."

"So, didn't anyone come to your funeral?"

"I didn't have one."

"What?" he asked, sitting up fully.

"No one ever found my body, and no one knew I was even dead until the teachers called my house to ask my parents where I was, but they were already dead too" Kagome looked down now, "and even if there had been a funeral, no one would have gone," she smiled sadly, and Inuyasha could tell she was trying to hold back tears. No wonder she had been crying when he had first saw her.

"Kagome…" he said, standing up, unsure of how he could possibly comfort her, "I'm sorry." Kagome laughed quietly, but it wasn't a happy laugh.

"You didn't kill my parents, did you? You didn't kill me, so why are you apologizing?" She sighed. "It's the past. I should get over it," The stars were coming out now, the moon rising behind the forest. Kagome smiled softly and began walking toward the God Tree. "It's getting late, you should go to bed,"

"Don't tell me what I should do, I can stay up as late asI want," Kagome just smiled over her shoulder then disappeared. "Kagome?" Inuyasha called out, just before she reappeared bent double in pain. She was closer to the forest now, as if she had been trying to leave him there. "Kagome, what's wrong? What's-" he stopped short. Kagome's middle was bleeding, he could really smell the blood. And she was whimpering in pain. But, was it even possible for ghosts to feel pain? Then he smelled it, like a dark cloud in the air. He could almost taste what he knew to be death in the air.

"Inuyasha… please leave," Kagome mumbled. Inuyasha turned to face her.

"What? Are you fucking dense?"

"_Go!_" she cried. "I don't want you to see this. Just go away."

"No! You stupid bitch, why would I leave you now!" Kagome was confused for a moment, was he being nice or was he just being insulting? She tried once more to disappear, to fade away, but she was too weak. She could only sit there as she re-lived her death. Her arms were wrapped around her middle as she hunched on the ground, covered in her blood from that night. She lifted her head up, only to feel her throat slice cleanly open, she could feel herself drowning in her own blood. Inuyasha watched in horror, unable to move, unable to do anything. How can the dead die again? How could he help her? She looked at him before he could reach her, figuring that was a start, and slumped over before finally fading away.

"Kagome? Kagome!"

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Kiwi: ooh.. the plot thickens! I know some will have questions, which will be answered eventually if this continues. Please ignore all the little typos, it was late when I finished this. Hoped you enjoyed it. Until next time!

Ja ne!


	3. Chapter 3

When the Light Goes Out

Kiwi: I give you this as a sign of peace! Don't hurt me for being late ! (It really wasn't my fault…) And at least I'm updating!

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_Hello Bob,_

_Oh, the nerve of them all! How dare they try to tear you apart! Why can't they just leave me alone! Ooh, they piss me off so fucking bad! I'm sorry Bob, I didn't mean to let them hurt you. But really, were they waiting for me to go to the bathroom or something? What are they, stalkers? Oh well, its not so bad. They didn't hurt you at least. This was supposed to be a new start, a new beginning. Why are people always so shallow and uncaring and aggravating to no fucking end? I almost wish that they would hit me just hard enough to piss me off enough to not care about them and pound them all to dust in a mad rage, that's how much they upset me… no, of course I don't wish that. I just wish I could get away from all people, since all people seem to hate me…_

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Inuyasha woke up early, not that he had slept much anyway. He rolled out of bed and prepared to search the house for Kagome, again. Only this time, he was actually, dare he even think it, worried. 'What the hell is wrong with me?' He looked around his room briefly, then left to begin his search. Since he was already on the second floor, that's where he started. Bathroom: empty. 'Well, I have no idea why she would be in there anyway…'

He headed into the study, and there, much to his relief, was Kagome. She was seated on the chair-like stool thing he had brought in front of his newer desk. She looked to be reading something, but when she heard him come in and she looked up, the object in her lap disappeared.

"Inuyasha,' she said in surprise, "wow, isn't it early for you to be up?" He moved forward into the room, grabbing the chair since he couldn't grab her. Kagome looked up at him, startled even more.

"Are you all right?" he asked with almost frightening seriousness.

"Oh," her shock went to sad almost instantly, she looked away.

"Well?" he probed when she didn't answer.

"…More or less," she responded half-heartedly.

"Feh. Which is it, wench?" he asked, more at ease. 'This Inuyasha I know better,' Kagome thought as she smiled weakly.

"Not too sure yet," cue the awkward silence. Inuyasha still held the chair, but wasn't quite so intense as before.

"Well?"

"What?" she asked, trying to be innocent.

"What do you mean, 'what!' 'What,' as in 'what the hell was that last night!'" Kagome sighed and slid through the chair. "You had better not leave-"

"Oh calm down," Kagome replied, sitting now on the desk, "you're too loud to avoid anyway. I just thought you might want the chair." Inuyasha grunted, sitting backwards in the chair so that his arms were crossed over the top of the back, waiting for her to begin. Kagome sighed again.

"Are you going to keep doing that or are you actually going to say something worthwhile?" Kagome glared at him.

"It's hard talking about your death!" Inuyasha shut up. Kagome looked out the window, deciding that the scenery would be easier to talk to than the half-dog-demon behind her. It really was early, the sun risen just enough to be not considered dawn anymore. She remembered the smell of morning, the fresh, crispness of it. The God Tree and the forest below them looked peaceful and welcoming. She tucked her knees under her chin, took another deep breath, and began.

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"I guess, it all began when before we moved here. We lived in a big house in the country, the same house I was born in. It didn't have a big forest like here, but it was calm, peaceful. Mom, Dad, Souta and I were happy there. Dad was successful in the family business of connecting people who wanted jobs done to people who could do the work, and Mom made money with her cooking. Everything was nice and happy. Souta and I were home-schooled, but Mom was going to have me start public school when I was in eighth grade, and I was excited. I was going to get to meet new people, maybe new friends.

"But it was different from what I imagined. I was very bright in school, and no one liked me. I was a freak to them, because I had been home schooled and because I was so good in class. Everyone had already established groups of friends, so I was the loner, outcast kid. The other kids would laugh at me, humiliate me, all around torture me daily. My hopes had come crashing down, and that's when I learned to accept the fact that things are bad, you just deal with it. There was always something new to laugh at me about, and by the end of the first semester, I hated school. But, for some reason, I didn't want to tell Mom or Dad. They were always so happy when I brought home good progress reports, I didn't want to tell them anything was wrong. It was around the second half of the year that things got really bad.

"Dad made some kind of a deal with a shady character, Naraku. Naraku tricked my dad into working with him, and forced him to commit awful crimes by threatening us. It started out with petty burglaries, then identity thefts, then Naraku told my dad to murder someone, I think some kind of opposition of his. When my dad refused, he kidnapped me coming home from school. I remember his greasy hair, his red, ugly eyes. I remember him telling me how pretty I was, and wanting to barf.

"He told my dad that he would keep me with him until he did what he was told. I felt so guilty, because even though I didn't want anyone to die, I was so scared I just wanted Dad to come save me. I was crying like an infant, Naraku kept leering at me. He just stared at me, sitting in his dirty basement and crying my eyes out. Then he got up, telling me again how pretty he thought I was, and he kept moving closer. I got scared and stood up, but he backed me up into the wall. He tried to grab me, and I punched him in the stomach and tried to run away. I didn't know he was a demon, but he pulled me back with a tentacle or something, but before I could look at it properly he had pulled it back in. He hit me in the face so hard I fell down, then kicked me a couple times. The he turned me over so I was facing him, and h-he crawled on top of me. He was pinning me down, and I swear he was going to rape me. I've… I've never been so scared in my life.

"The phone had been ringing, and just when he- I heard Dad's voice saying it was done and he wanted me back. I didn't think Naraku would keep his promise, but he just grinned at me. He said we would finish this and he kissed me. My first kiss was with that horrid man; I wanted to burn my lips off.

"I went home, and I couldn't tell anyone what had happened to me. I remembered him telling me how pretty I was, I had nightmares of him 'finishing his business' with me. I burned all of my clothes and ended up wearing more and more conservative clothing, until most of my wardrobe was from the boy's section. By the end of eighth grade, I was a freakish tomboy who wouldn't talk to anyone. But, I hardly cared about that. Dad took to drinking as the orders from Naraku became more and more violent. He beat my Mom every night, I remember waking up to her crying. I didn't know what to do, I felt so pathetic.

"That summer he got worse, and started beating me after I yelled at him for hitting Mom and even Souta. He said he was sorry he had ever saved me, that I was a mistake. I knew it was the alcohol that made him so upset, but I started to believe him. I now hated home too."

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Inuyasha had been listening intently, and looked up when she stopped. She turned from the window to look at him, and Inuyasha felt a lump in his throat rising. She looked so lost and alone, tears brimming on her eyes, cheek resting on her legs as she looked at him with a heart-wrenching smile.

"That's enough for now, I'm getting all teary. Besides, Miroku and Sango are coming," she gestured to the window, getting up and heading for the door.

"Wait! This doesn't answer what happened last night," Inuyasha had stood up and was now looking down at Kagome who was standing just in front of the door way. He wanted nothing more to just hug her tight to let her know that it was all going to be fine, everything was all right. 'But it isn't. She…died.' Kagome smiled softly.

"I'm getting there. I'll tell you later," she said quietly before turning to go appear downstairs. Inuyasha felt bad for making her relive this whole thing, this mess that was her life.

"Kagome?" she turned around, brushing away the evidence of tears, "You don't have to, tell me anymore I mean. If it bothers you," the ghost girl smiled at him, a smile that finally lit her eyes back up.

"It's all right. I've never been able to talk to anyone. If you don't mind, could I tell you the rest?" Inuyasha nodded at her after a moment, then followed her as she glided down the stairs to meet their friends.

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"Kagome!" Sango called to her, waving furiously. Kagome laughed and waved back as Sango dragged Miroku to the door.

"Hello Sango! Hello Miroku!" she exclaimed cheerfully so that Inuyasha could barely tell she was crying a few moments ago. "What are we going to do today?" she asked eagerly. Sango tapped her finger to her lip.

"Why not explore?"

"Explore what?" Inuyasha grumbled. "We'll hardly find anything interesting in this house," Sango glared at him for shooting down her idea, but Miroku intervened.

"He has a point, Sango dear," Sango's fury turned to him.

"Don't dear me,"

"But-"

"The forest." All eyes turned to Kagome, hovering in the air much like she did when they first met. "We could explore the forest," Miroku nodded, approving.

"Hey, we could even have a picnic!" Sango exclaimed.

"I guess it's decided," Miroku declared, "so, Inuyasha, what picnic foods do you have?" Inuyasha looked down at the floor, muttering something while rather embarrassed.

"What?" Sango asked, cupping a hand to her ear. Another mumbled. Kagome giggled.

"He doesn't have any," Inuyasha glared at her.

"Nothing? What do you live on, ramen?" Inuyasha looked away from Sango. "Oh for the love of-" Sango put a hand to her head, leaning back into the couch. Kagome laughed while Miroku shook his head.

"Such an appetite is unhealthy," the half-demon pushed him over. Sango sighed again, exasperated.

"I guess we'll have to make a trip to my house for food,' Inuyasha opened his mouth to defend his ramen.

"Pre-packaged noodles don't count as food," Kagome commented. Inuyasha, having nothing more to add to this conversation of ramen conspirators crossed his arms and scowled before turning away in an absurd out that sent Kagome laughing all over again.

"Me and Miroku will be back in a bit," Sango said, leaving the house.

"Feh!"

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The gang was now exploring the forest, with Kagome randomly disappearing and re-appearing in surprising places to make Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha jump as a form of amusement. Other than random shouts or the occasional slap and screeching from Sango at Miroku, it was peaceful. The trees were dense, but not so they were stifling, and green light filtered down from the foliage. The ground was littered with leaves, twigs, sticks and shrubs. The trees themselves were covered in mosses, indicating that this place had been untouched for many years. Inuyasha could hear the birds even over the laughter and noise from the others. Inuyasha sniffed the air when he caught a new scent.

"Hey guys, I smell water," he called back to them.

"Oh, perfect," smiled Sango. Kagome's eyes lit up.

"I know what Inuyasha's talking about! You guys will love it there!" with her exclamation, she rushed ahead, literally through the trees. Inuyasha caught up with her first, being half-demon and all, and came to what even he couldn't deny to be a beautiful sight.

The trees had given way to a large clearing, though some roots still snaked their way to the water he had smelled. It turned out to be a spring of some kind, with a steady, slow flow. The water lapped up gently on the solid ground that fed into the spring much like the shore of a lake, except there was no sand. Grass and small, flowery shrubs came right up to the surface of the water, and some plants with vines actually drifted on the surface. The sunlight drifted down gently even though there were no leaves to hinder it. With the sunlight, the trees' bark took on a silver sheen, and the spring sparked, looking as smooth as glass. It was peace incarnated into nature. And, drifting above the center of the spring, was Kagome ,bare toes just skimming the surface, eyes closed serenely, hair flying about while swirling the water around her in the air like ribbons to create a beautifully haunting display.

Inuyasha stared until Sango and Miroku arrived, and then they all stared together. They watched Kagome weave the bands of water around her in a dance of sorts, until she let them crash into the spring. She smiled and floated toward them, seemingly wet but where she dripped there was no water mark.

"I believe," Miroku said, starring in awe at the ghost girl in front of him, "we have one remarkable friend." Inuyasha and Sango nodded.

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Kiwi; I know, I know, this was incredibly short. But I left off in a good place, didn't I? Don't worry, Kagome will finish her story and I promise I'll update soon (ish.)

Ja ne!


	4. Chapter 4

When the Light Goes Out

Kiwi: Lookie, lookie! Look how much I'm writing! See, aren't I a good author? By the way, don't expect me to update this often… I'm far too lazy… :P

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_Hello Bob,_

_I'm scared. Not of the kids at school , I really don't give a damn about them anymore. Though, they do annoy me, and I did make good on my threat to kick Koga in the balls if he came onto me again. But that's not what is scaring me. Mom's been getting weird calls from an 'unknown number.' I've answered the phone when this happens, and I don't hear anything. It's always at the same time of day. That, and Souta saw a strange figure when he came home from school today. I guess the past has a nasty habit of coming back to haunt you, but if I had one wish it would be for all of this to just stop…_

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Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku enjoyed a nice picnic that Sango had prepared after getting over the shock of just who their friend really was.

"Why Sango, I didn't know you were such a good cook," Miroku commented.

"And what, exactly, does _that _mean?" she asked.

"Only that you're so strong and manly-"

Smack!

"Maybe 'manly' wasn't the best word…" Miroku amended while hiding behind Inuyasha.

"Feh! It's not that great," Inuyasha mumbled, sore over the lack of ramen. A sandwich came in contact with his face and Kagome laughed at their antics.

"Do you like it here?" she asked the others.

"It's beautiful," Sango answered.

"And peaceful," Miroku added. "Even Inuyasha can't complain," Inuyasha just 'feh'ed and crossed his arms. But, he didn't disagree. Kagome beamed.

"Oh, you guys should see it at night, with the moon and everything, it's so…" Kagome just drifted off, at a loss for words. Sango nodded.

"I can imagine," she said wistfully.

"Well, we'll have to come here some time," Miroku concluded. "Inuyasha is lucky, he gets to live with access to such beauty-" Sango promptly whacked him. Miroku rubbed his head. "I was referring to the scenery,"

"Sure, pervert," Sango replied stiffly.

"Oh, Sango, there's no need to be jealous, I love you and only you," Miroku declared. Sango was so mad she stuttered.

"M-me? Jealous?" she flushed.

"Aha!" Miroku pointed to her face, "I knew it! I knew you loved me!" Sango stared at him in disbelief until she snapped and charged at him. Miroku, running and screaming for his life, tripped on one of the roots, causing him to fall and allowing Sango to catch up. She threw him into the spring and huffed away from the edge of the water.

"Me? In love with _him?_ That's fucking insane!" she muttered. Suddenly Miroku emerged from the spring and rushed to Sango, hugging her and getting her all wet. Then his hand began creeping down…

Smack!

"MIROKU! You are _impossible!_" Inuyasha and Kagome watched them, before bursting with laughter. Sango glared at them, wet and dripping all over Miroku, who was scratching his head and smiling ruefully. Then, something clicked. 'Inuyasha…' Sango realized, 'Inuyasha is…really _laughing._'

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"Bye Kagome! Bye Inuyasha!" Sango shouted as she and Miroku walked away from Inuyasha's house. When they were out of ear-shot, Sango turned to Miroku, who flinched.

"Sango dear, haven't I suffered enough?" he pleaded.

"Oh, shut up. Miroku, what do you notice about Kagome?" she asked him.

"Well, for a ghost-"

"That's not perverted."

"Ah. Well, for a ghost, she's very lively, and cheerful,"

"And what about Inuyasha?"

"He's a jerk," Miroku responded. Sango groaned. 'Miroku is such a _guy…_'

"Miroku, Inuyasha was laughing today, and not after he pulled a mean prank on us." Miroku stopped laughing and thought for a moment. His eyes lit up in recognition.

"You're right! But, Inuyasha doesn't laugh like that," he said, shocked for a second time today.

"I know. But ever since he's been around Kagome…"

"Now that you mention it, he doesn't seem quite as much of a jerk as he was…" They looked at each other a moment, thinking the same thing.

"Could Inuyasha," Miroku started, "possibly be…"

"…Falling in love with Kagome?"

"Falling in love with a ghost."

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Kagome smiled to herself as their friends left. But then she remembered her promise to Inuyasha. Inuyasha seemed to remember too, for he was sitting on the couch in the front room, waiting for her. 'I better finish what I started… though, I could always hide in a tree until he forgot…' she smiled quietly as she went to sit before him.

"Well, I guess I should finish my story…

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"So Dad beat me daily for most of the summer. I couldn't wait to go back to school for two reasons: one, I wouldn't be home and two, I was starting high school, meaning that all of the teasing of middle school would be in the past. Well, that was what I was hoping for anyway. However, when I started there, wearing whatever I felt like and doing well in class, I was automatically written off as a freak, again. I went out for track the first year, and they found a whole new way to humiliate me, in public. They would mess with my track for the races so I would trip or miss a hurdle because it fell down before I jumped it and other things to make me feel like a failure. Finally I got so mad at one of the other team mates, some guy, I can't remember his name, I yelled at him in front of the whole team during practice. I even punched him in the face. It was great at the time, but soon all jocks hated my guts. What few people that had talked to me now shunned me. People started beating me up at school too, to 'put me in my place.' I would fight back and get in trouble, and no matter how many complaints I made, it just wouldn't stop. So, I quit trying. I let them hit me all they wanted, I didn't care anymore.

"I went to school there until my tenth year. That was the year Dad didn't come back home. Naraku ordered him to kill a family. I didn't know them, but I heard they had connections in high places and that they had a demon lineage. They had children too, two boys. Well, Dad went to kill them as he had been told, but only managed to kill the father and his wife, and only then because Naraku possessed him, using him like a doll. Their deaths were all over the news. The older brother hadn't even been home, and they said the father and mother died protecting their nine-year old son. Part of me missed my Dad, the old one, but the other part was glad Naraku couldn't use him for his dirty work, and that he wouldn't ever hurt anyone again. When I finished tenth grade, we moved here.

"Mom said it would be a new start, that everything would be all right now that we were far away from Naraku. I was stupid enough to believe her. When we moved here, the house was disused, but it had been in Mom's family for years. It used to be a shrine of some kind. It was calm here, away from the city but not too far. I actually managed to find some friends, sort of. They talked too much for my taste, but it was better than silence in some ways. Then school started. First day, some ass, Koga, came up to me and declaring I was his. He pissed me off so bad I slapped him. Of course, he _had _to be the best looking guy there and the most popular. My half-friends, now gossiped about me. Everyone hated me all over again, I was on the outside looking in. I eventually got numb. I don't even think I bruised anymore. I thought my life couldn't get any worse.

"I hate being wrong. The summer after eleventh grade, I was 16, Mom and Souta got into a car accident. Only, I don't think it was an accident. We had been getting strange calls from a number we didn't know, and the day before they died, Souta had seen someone watching him as he went home from school. At least they had died instantly, no pain. I couldn't afford a real funeral, no one would have come anyway. With Mom gone, I had to get a job to pay for my expenses. I think my teachers knew what was going on, but they didn't help me. I guess that was fine, I had to learn to be independent anyway.

"I made it to my senior year, still with good grades. I had an okay job, but I couldn't afford electric or hot water. I didn't mind too much, I liked the rural lifestyle I led. I thought, if nothing else, I was free. Naraku must have thought I died in the accident, because I hadn't heard of him since. I think that was why he got to me, I was unguarded.

"I was walking to that spot I showed you today, it was late and I had just gotten home. It was so peaceful and quiet outside. I don't even know where he came from, but he had me up against him in an instant. He pushed me up to a tree, I was trapped with him leaning into my body. 'Now we finish what we started,' he whispered to me. I remembered when I had been young and scared, but that had been four years ago. This man, this monster had ruined my life, killed my family. And now he was here to ruin me. I didn't want to be scared anymore, and I wasn't I was fucking pissed. I kicked him and shoved him off of me. He yelled and pulled me down before I could get out of the way. I kicked at his face and I think I hit, but he didn't stop. He was on top of me again like that night he had kidnapped me. He was tearing at me, pinning me down. I got one hand out and jammed it into his nose. He yelled at me to stop and it wouldn't hurt, I told him he'd have to kill me first. He stabbed my stomach. I figured the only way to survive was to scream, so I did. I screamed at him for destroying my life, and told him he was a coward. He pulled my hair back and I heard him mutter something about a waste, and then he slit my throat. I was drowning in my own blood, and the last thing I saw was the moon shining through the trees. The next thing I knew, I was a ghost. Naraku had probably buried my body, and it was two weeks before someone actually came to the house to find me. I don't know why, but I couldn't move on. So I stayed here, alone as I had been for a while now. You know the rest…"

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Kagome looked down, finishing her story. She was crying now, really crying. Inuyasha looked at her, unsure of what to say, battling his own feelings as he built up his nerve to ask one question.

"Kagome?" She looked up, tears over-flowing down her face inn cascades. "What-what year…did your dad die?" She sniffed.

"I-I think… it was 1997," she continued crying, but glanced at Inuyasha. He was facing downward, his unruly bangs covered his amber eyes. His fists were clenched and she could hear him growling softly. "Inuyasha?" she asked, trying to rein in her emotions. "What's wrong?"

"My father was a demon, my mother a human. They were high figures in society, until they were killed in 1997," Kagome gasped, covering her mouth and shaking her head in horror.

"No…"

"You're father was the one I watched kill my mother and father to save me. Sesshomaru had been out that night."

"No… oh Inuyasha…I'm…" he wouldn't look at her. She just hung her head in defeat and began to sob. "…I'm sorry…"she whispered as she slid into the floor.

Inuyasha tried to hold back his own tears as he listened to the quiet sobs of Kagome all night.

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Kiwi: oh… how sad… sniff Yes, I know, another incredibly short chapter. But it was good, right? And I already have the next one planned out and everything! So please don't hate me too much. Until the next chapter!

Ja ne!


	5. Chapter 5

When the Light Goes Out

Kiwi: Hello! Sorry for the wait… All righty, now for my little blah that you probably won't read. Which is fine because all I'm gonna say is that I have actually almost planned out most of the plot in my head, a big first, and I know how I'm gonna end this…. Hee hee, I'm evil. But that means I might actually finish this, then maybe my other stories. But yes, I'm wasting space.

I want to reply to all my wonderful reviewers, 'cause all of you are great and reading your reviews and questions helped me focus on this more. But I can't respond to each of you, I'm not supposed to, so I'll just thank all of you like this:

**Thanks to: katsheswims, RamblingPhilosopher, Belldandychan, InuyashaSano :D , InuKagluver91, DemonGirl11, Mrs. Kori Ander Grayson, Shadow The Inu Youkai, i.swear.to.drunk.im.not.god, Kurinju-sama. **

Onward!

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_Hello Bob,_

_It's horrible. I'm sorry for the tear-marks… it's just, Mom and Souta are dead. There was an accident, and they died instantly. I don't think it was an accident, but even if I was right I can't prove it…. I don't even have enough money for a funeral. I don't know what to do… and I'm scared. Now I'm completely alone…_

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Inuyasha was watching someone die. It reminded him of how he had watched his parents die while protecting him and killing that man, Kagome's father. He thought this was familiar, but then again, he knew he was dreaming. He was in a forest area, but the scenery wasn't in focus. Two figures in front of him were. One was pinning the other to the ground, so that he couldn't see one of them. The one on top was a man with long, greasy hair, andInuyashacould see his red eyes glinting. The one underneath hit him rather hard somewhere in the face. He leaned down to who ever was trapped under him, telling them to stop struggling. Then he heard the girl, for the voice was feminine, tell him he'd have to kill her first. The man made a swift movement, Inuyasha could smell blood. The girl screamed at him, loud. It was agonizing and almost heart wrenching how she screamed. She called him a coward, yelled at him for ruining her life. The man grabbed her hair and pulled her head back, and Inuyasha saw her face as he slit her throat. 'Kagome…'

"Kagome!"

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"Inuyasha?" Sango shook Inuyasha's shoulders. "Inuyasha, wake up," she was getting frustrated. Where was Kagome? She would have a funny way to wake him up. 'Well…I could always braid his hair…' Sango laughed at the thought, but she needed to wake him up now. Still… so tempting… Sango sighed as she went to the kitchen for a moment. The old pipes groaned a bit, and Sango emerged with a glass of water. 'How unoriginal,' she moped. But, it would have to do. She dumped it over Inuyasha's head just as he was waking up on his own. Oops.

"What the hell!" Inuyasha roared, sitting up while his ears twitched, trying to get the water out. Sango muffled a giggle.

"Sorry, Inuyasha, but I had to wake you up. Oh, why were you on the couch?"

""Cause that's where I fell asleep," Sango nodded.

"Uh huh. Well, where's Kagome?" Inuyasha growled. "Well, someone woke up on the wrong cushion. Really where is she?"

"I don't know, and I sure as hell don't care," he replied moodily. Sango raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, you guys had a fight," Inuyasha growled at her again. "Fine, whatever. I just came to get you up, we have company today,"

"Like who?"

"Miroku has to baby-sit," Sango said, nearly laughing out right.

"What?"

"Yeah, I know-"

"Who the hell would trust him enough not to ruin their kid?" Sango finally laughed her agreement.

"Yeah, but anyway, I came here to wake you up since this is where he's headed," Inuyasha groaned. "I also wanted to figure out what we were going to do about Kagome," She noticed Inuyasha looking down.

"I don't think we'll see much of her today," Sango observed his flattened ears, how he was staring holes into the floor and his clenched fists.

"Oh," was all Sango said.

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Sango and a grumpy half-demon were sitting outside, waiting for Miroku and his charge. Sango had seen Inuyasha in a bad mood before, but this was ridiculous. He was sulking and muttering curses and raging over every little thing. He had only acted like this when… 'Oh, Inuyasha…'

"Inuyasha?" He didn't even look up to glare at her from his position on the grass. Sango sighed. "All right, you're in a crap-tastic mood. You're going to yell at me no matter what I do, so I'm just gonna ask. Have you been thinking about your parents again?" Inuyasha growled viciously and glared at her. To anyone else, he would have been very frightening, but Sango just smiled apologetically. 'At least I got a reaction,' But then she frowned in confusion. "So I was right, but what does Kagome have to do with this?" Inuyasha looked down.

"Feh,"

"Don't give me that, she's my friend too!" Inuyasha looked up to see Sango staring angrily at him, worried for both of them. He was tempted to ignore her, but something about how Sango was glaring at him, about how protective he knew she could be made him mumble an answer at her.

"She was telling me about her life… and to make a long story short, she told me about her murderer. He killed her family after using her father. Her father was used…he killed my parents," Inuyasha finished glumly. Sango gasped inwardly, but she knew Inuyasha did not want her sympathy.

"So, now you're upset. Of course you are, your parents were killed. But who are you really mad at?" Inuyasha gave no answer. Of course Sango was right, it wasn't Kagome's fault. Hell, she had been alone her entire life and just when she started trusting him, he goes and gets upset at her because of what that bastard Naraku did. To both of them.

Sango could tell Inuyasha was mulling over what she had said. Her own thoughts drifted toward Kagome, the ghost girl who had always been alone, who she was feeling so sorry for at the time, even though she could bet Kagome didn't want her sympathy either. 'Oh, what am I doing, she doesn't need my pity,' Sango sighed. "Inuyasha?" she asked, mainly to get rid of the awkward silence, "Do you know what her murderer's name was?"

"…Naraku."

Sango swore her heart stopped.

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_Sango was standing in her parent's house, watching. Just watching. She wanted to move away, or maybe enter and warn the inhabitants of the danger coming, but she couldn't move. She was frozen._

_The day was late, the sun low. She could hear her family eating dinner. And then, without moving her feet, she was there. She saw her father and mother, her brother, and a nine-year-old self. She saw her parents, her mother and father who worked with the police, alive at the head of the table. They had been demon-slayers for generations, so it was a natural thing. Their skills came in handy sometimes in their line of work, they were assets when demons caused trouble. Maybe that was how they got caught up in what would kill them. Sango wanted to turn away, but her eyes stayed focused on the family. _

_She remembered that day. Her parents had uncovered some kind of fraud run by demons, and they were tense, but happy that they had brought it down. She supposed because they were that much closer to catching Naraku…it was all they could talk about, that evil demon. There was a knock on the door and Sango watched as she and her brother were ushered down the hallway, just in case…_

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Sango shook her head to clear the unwanted images, she didn't want to think of what had happened next. Tears would do her no good, she would not cry. She would _not_ cry. Blinking away the last remnants, she put those thoughts away as she saw Miroku walking toward the house. Past was past, and there were other things bothering her now, mainly concerning a certain half-demon and a ghost girl. Inuyasha was glaring moodily at the ground, and was definitely not going to be in the mood for baby-sitting. Certainly not in the mood for Shippo, whom Miroku was charged with.

'Speak of the devil,' Sango just had to grin as she saw Miroku walking to the house, little Shippo in tow. He was laughing and teasing the little fox demon with red hair and a fluffy tail, and Shippo looked excited to see new people. 'Can't even tell he's a lecher… he might actually make a good father…' Sango smiled to herself before she realized what she had just thought. 'WHAT! Where the hell did that come from!' Inuyasha, still upset mostly at himself, glanced at Sango. She was acting weird, and he was tempted to say so. 'Kagome would have asked her what was wrong…' Well, so much for that. Inuyasha went back to glaring at the ground, barely acknowledging when Miroku walked up to his house.

"Hello Inuyasha, you look terrible," Miroku simply stated. Shippo giggled.

"Shut up, lech. You too runt." Shippo fumed.

"I'm no runt-!" Shippo started, but Miroku stopped him.

"Now now, Shippo, Inuyasha is just in one of his moods," Miroku looked at Sango, who gave him a warning look. Yep. Inuyasha was in a bad mood. "Well Inuyasha, do you mind if we come in?" the half-demon simply grunted, not like Miroku would have stopped anyway. Sango followed Miroku and Shippo to the kitchen, where Miroku had the little fox demon sit down.

"Shippo, I would like to introduce you to Sango," he said as they settled inside, Inuyasha still moping outside. Shippo smiled.

"Hello. So you're the one who Miroku made his love slave-" he was abruptly shut up by Miroku, grinning innocently while covering Shippo's mouth. Too late, Sango was already fuming. Miroku swore she was going to blast him out of this life and the next, but she just smiled. Of course, this smile gave new meaning to the term 'animosity,' and this scared both the people in the room to death.

"Shippo," she spoke sweetly and calmly, making Shippo's blood run cold as she removed Miroku's hand. "Would you please come with me?" Shippo gulped and, being too afraid to refuse, nodded.

"Um… S-Sango? I don't think that's such a good idea-" Sango glared at him, effectively shutting him up.

"Now Shippo, I want you to tell me everything he said about me…" she told him as she moved him toward another room. Miroku groaned. 'I'm so dead.' He knew running would be fruitless.

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Inuyasha stared at the ground as if it was the most interesting thing on earth. His thoughts wandered here and there, from Kagome to his parents, to Naraku, to his cursed existence, back to Kagome and so on in lop-sided circles. Is train of thought however was effectively derailed when he heard a banshee crying in fury, **_"WHAT!" _**That would be Sango. He wondered dimly what Miroku had done now. As if on cue, the lecher was thrown out the door roughly to land beside Inuyasha. Inuyasha was surprised that the lech was still conscious, he had a nasty bump and ugly bruise on his head and face.

"What did you do?" Inuyasha asked Miroku, positioned upside down on the steps leading toward the door next to him.

"Well-"

"MIROKU! WHAT KIND OF SICK MIND IS IN THAT DISGUSTING HEAD OF YOURS! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!" Sango raged, literally _raged_, from the doorway.

"I may have fabricated a little-" Miroku started uneasily.

"YA THINK!" came the fury-induced reply, sending Miroku to cower behind Inuyasha, who was apprehensive himself. Sango was scary.

"What on earth were you thinking, poisoning his mind like that!" 'Oh,' realized Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha, please save me!" Inuyasha glared disgustedly at the pervert clutching his leg. Not only was he twisted, he was a coward too. Inuyasha sure wasn't going to help. (Besides, he didn't want to be on the wrong side of Sango right now…)

"Let go of me."

"What kind of friend are you? Leaving me to die," Miroku tried to look more hurt than scared for his life.

"You got yourself into this yourself," Inuyasha replied as he stepped away, then sat back as Sango jumped at Miroku and preceded to chase him around the yard.

"So I guess what he said wasn't true?" asked Shippo as he magically appeared beside Inuyasha.

"Nothing that pervert says is true," Shippo nodded, storing away that information for later. 'Poor runt, bet his innocence is ruined for good,' Shippo sat down next to him an watched the pair, Miroku fleeing and crying words of apology while Sango rampaged behind him, threatening to assure he never had kids. Shippo suddenly turned to Inuyasha.

"They like each other, don't they?" Inuyasha looked at him.

"Feh. Like I would know." Sango was catching up. Miroku ran faster, Inuyasha had never seen him run so fast. But Sango had the power of fury on her side. Poor Miroku.

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Even Inuyasha couldn't deny the pathetic Miroku begging for his genitals to remain where they were. He convinced Sango to let him keep all limbs, but couldn't help but snicker just a bit as she beat him senseless otherwise. He had it coming. Now Miroku was nursing his wounds and Sango was tossing a ball with Shippo. Inuyasha was still sore over Kagome, whom he hadn't even heard of all day. So he just sat dejectedly in his lawn, moody, restless and not at all too cheery.

Miroku, watching the temperamental half-demon and knowing he wasn't going to get anything from him, started making his way toward Sango. He was smart enough to keep his hands in front of him, in the air where she could see them. He felt like he was being arrested. Sango glared at him viciously from her seat on the ground where she would toss Shippo the ball. Miroku waved his hands in a gesture of peace and kneeled a respectful distance from her.

"What do you want?"

"Sango, my dear. How cold," he replied, feigning being offended. Sango raised her eyebrow at him. Miroku sighed. "I'm concerned about our half-demon friend, and Kagome, who seems to have truly disappeared." Sango sighed, still eyeing Miroku's hands, but her anger dissipated somewhat.

"I think Kagome and Inuyasha had a fight. She was telling him about her family, and about her murderer."

"She was murdered?" Miroku asked, astonished.

"Yes. And he did a fine job of ruining her life too. I don't know the whole story, but I guess this person somehow forced Kagome's dad to… well.." Sango shifted uncomfortably.

"What?" Miroku urged, leaning in closer and not even noticing. Sango didn't either. She glanced over at Inuyasha, too absorbed to notice them. Still.

"Kill Inuyasha's parents," she mumbled quietly. "And I can't help but feel bad for both of them." Miroku looked at her in a stunned silence.

"Well," he stated finally, "I can see why that could cause problems." Sango merely nodded. She had been tossing the ball with Shippo the entire time, not completely noticing it, and not really paying attention. She tossed it again as it came toward her, but too hard. It went right over Shippo's head.

"Hey! Are you even paying attention!" Sango looked up.

"Oh, I'm sorry Shippo," Shippo just huffed as if he was annoyed and ran to retrieve the ball.

"Shippo! No, wait!"

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Inuyasha was gazing off into space, though his gaze was directed toward the grass. He knew Miroku was talking to Sango, and dimly he knew they were talking about him and Kagome. 'Kagome…' His thoughts began to wander again. Sango's cry abruptly stopped that. He looked up to see Shippo was chasing a ball into the street. This street was normally quiet, but fate was cruel and decided a car just had to come along. Inuyasha was getting up as Sango and Miroku were also rising, and he realized they wouldn't make it in time and the driver wouldn't even be able to see Shippo…

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Shippo happily skipped to the street after the ball that was rolling away. Of course he didn't check for cars, why bother on such a lazy street? He had just entered the street when the ball just… stopped. Then it began to roll toward him. He moved forward to grab it, and that's when he heard the car, Sango yelling for him. He looked up and froze. Big hunk of metal on wheels hurdling to crush you with no signs of stopping, yes that's frightening. He wanted to run, but he couldn't. He couldn't even close his eyes. He was going to die.

Then he felt the back of his shirt pull, and he was dragged into the air and back over the grass in front of Inuyasha's house. He was… flying!

"I'm flying! I'm flying!" Shippo, still a bit shocked about nearly getting run over, was shouting in half joy and half wonder. Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha stopped in their progress to the street, which the car had already driven down and was out of sight. They just looked up at him for a moment, suspended in the air, before he was placed gently in Sango's arms.

"Oh Shippo! Don't scare us like that!" Sango cried at him. Miroku just let out the breath he had been holding and brushed his hair back. Inuyasha just sighed and relaxed a little.

"Did you see me? I was flying! How's it possible?" Shippo was jumping excitedly in Sango's arms. Sango looked at Miroku, unsure at how to answer this. He, in turn, looked toward Inuyasha, not sure what to do either. Inuyasha did something between a sigh and a groan before calling to what looked like the sky, "Kagome? Where are you?" Silence. Shippo looked at Inuyasha like he was crazy. Then a girl appeared from no where next to him.

"I'm here," she said, looking slightly worse for wear. Shippo jumped slightly in surprise, then climbed down from Sango and walked to her.

"Did—did you save me?" Shippo asked. Kagome smiled and nodded, kneeling so she was closer to his height. Shippo looked at her for a moment, then he smiled and threw himself at her to hug her. Only he went right through her. The look of pain on Kagome's face did not go unnoticed by Inuyasha before Kagome turned to the stunned Shippo.

"I'm sorry Shippo. You see, I'm a ghost."

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Kiwi: All right, that's enough for now. Really sorry for the delay, I wasn't sure how to do this really. Hope it turned out all right. Also hoped you enjoyed it. Until later!


	6. Chapter 6

When the Light Goes Out

Kiwi: Oh! My wonderful reviewers! 6 reviews on the first day! You guys rock, thanks so much to the readers out there! I'm sorry for two things, one being that I am a terrible up-dater. Also, I was wondering for awhile how to make this chapter work with the rest of the story, so sorry if it's…choppy. **And, I've decided to make thoughts in italics.** I like the way it looks better. Now for the reviewers!

**A mighty thanks to: Flower Tears, Shadow The Inu Youkai, RamblingPhilosopher, Long Lost Dream37, xiDOREyoux, and Kyorose. Thank you all so much! YAY!**

Now, onward!

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Kagome looked at Shippo, not knowing how he would accept her answer. It's not everyday you just tell some kid, 'Hey! I'm dead!' She half expected Shippo to run or scream or faint or something. But he just continued to stare at her. _Oh great, I've paralyzed him with fear._ Inuyasha tensed, knowing what Kagome must be feeling, like she was unaccepted.

"Shippo," Miroku started, also sensing Kagome's discomfort, "you don't have to be afraid of Kagome."

"I'm not afraid… that's just… so cool!" Shippo beamed and Kagome near fainted from shock. Inuyasha just stared at the kid's reaction. _What was **that**?_

"Can you disappear, go through walls and stuff? How'd you make me fly? Can you make other things fly? Could you-" Inuyasha silenced him with a whack on the head, regaining his senses after the initial surprise. Kagome just smiled warmly at the fox-demon, for she was sure that was what he was, judging by his ears, hair and tail. She also noticed his feet were like little paws. _He's so adorable!_

"I'll answer all of your questions, Shippo. Don't worry." Shippo smiled, even while holding his hands over his head from the blow received there. Kagome seated herself on the ground with Shippo and began answering his barrage of questions. Inuyasha, still heart-sore over his new discovery on his parent's death, couldn't help but feel a little better when he saw Kagome feeling a little better.

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Kagome watched with a small sense of dread as Sango, Miroku and Shippo left the house. She still managed to smile widely as Shippo waved fiercely to her, saying he would come back soon. Who would expect someone so young to be so accepting of her? That did not, however, make her feel any better about what she was about to do now. She looked at Inuyasha as he casually raised a hand in parting to his friends. What could she do now? She knew she could very easily disappear, but how long could she keep that up if she wanted to talk to the others again? Besides, she had always prided herself in being able to meet problems head on, not being a coward by running away from them.

Inuyasha turned around to find Kagome starring down at the ground, as if ready to hear his wrath. Cue now the awkward silence.

…

"I'm not mad," Inuyasha said after awhile. Kagome looked up.

"You're not? But you have every reason to…" she said, turning away in shame almost.

"I don't have any reason to be mad at you," Inuyasha sighed as he sat down on the steps in front of his house. "If anything, I'm mad at Naraku, for what he did to both of us." Kagome sat next to him.

"I still feel guilty. I'm sorry Inuyasha, really."

"It wasn't your fault."

"Let me apologize for my father then, because I wish I could make this better even if I know I can't." Inuyasha looked up from where he had resumed examining the ground to see Kagome looking at him earnestly. He wondered vaguely why he had ever been mad at her. He smiled lopsidedly at her. Kagome smiled too, relief flooding through her.

"I'm sorry I reacted they way I did," he said after awhile.

"What do you mean?"

"You just finished telling me about your life that makes mine look like I won the lottery, and I wasn't there for you. Not exactly a good friend, huh?" Kagome shook her head.

"No, you were upset. I probably would be too if I had found out that the person I was talking to was related to my parent's killer. Hell, I would've reacted a lot worse," she said, trying to make him feel better.

"No," he said, his seriousness startling her, "you wouldn't." Kagome peered up at him again, because suddenly he seemed a bit closer, and had the odd feeling that if it were possible she would blush. Kagome looked at him, wondering what he was thinking. _If I were still alive, I might fall for this guy…_ It wouldn't be hard exactly. He was an ass at times, confident, but he could be so kind under all that. His eyes betrayed him. Those golden pools were like gilded letters in a book, she could tell he was hurting. She could tell he was upset, even if it wasn't at her. Yes, she could see a lot in there. Could her read her too? _No, of course not. I don't have any eyes for him to read._

Inuyasha saw, nearly felt, when Kagome became disheartened again. Since when was he so attuned to her? Since when could he damn near feel everything she felt through her movements? _I wonder if she's really an angel…. WAIT! No! Bad! She's fucking dead! Stop it!_ Inuyasha mentally berated himself. Kagome was looking at him oddly, eyes so open he thought he could tell her everything. But of course that was a lie. No, some things were way to embarrassing to tell out loud. Still…

"Inuyasha? What's wrong?" Kagome tilted her head as if to see him in a different light.

"Nothing."

"You sure?"

"Yeah," Inuyasha found it dangerous to look any longer at the girl beside him, and turned his attention to the fading sun.

Kagome watched him, the dull rays lighting up his features. How was it that his eyes were like the sun right now? The shadows the sun made only served to make Inuyasha seem that much more unreal. _Ha._ She had to laugh at that. If anyone was unreal it was her. She couldn't be lit up by the sun. The light passed right through her. _Yes, it would be really easy to fall in love with him_, then her thoughts stopped. She would always care about him and want him to be happy, he was her friend after all, but… what if she saw him fall in love?

Again Inuyasha sensed her pulling away. Why was she sad again?

"Kagome?" She looked up at him in surprise. "What's wrong?" _Yes, what? Is it that I can't ever be in love? Or is it because…_

"If you don't have to answer me, I don't have to answer you," Kagome replied. He faced her again.

"But my thoughts aren't making me upset," he smirked. Kagome frowned. _Could it be because…?_

"It doesn't really matter," she mumbled. She looked at him for a moment, though some rational thought screamed really loud not to. Her eyes widened in shock. _…because I want to be in love with you?_

Kagome straightened herself, starring right over Inuyasha. Her thoughts were whirling around making her dizzy. _I want to be in love with him. Hell, screw that, I already am! _She looked at him as if she had just realized he was there. Inuyasha just watched her in shock. Her movements, even her eyes were full of surprise, uncertainty, even a hint of fear. The way she was looking at him, as if seeing something in him, as if she had read his mind somehow about how he thought she could be an angel… why was she looking so afraid?

"Kagome, you're scaring me," She wasn't paying attention. How could he ever love her back? He must hate her on some level. Even if she wasn't dearly departed, her father had murdered his parents. How could he ever…

"Kagome," her blank stares were getting very annoying. "KAGOME! Damn it, WAKE UP!" She started and focused on him again. He was now standing in front of her, annoyance and a little bit of concern in his eyes. _Wait, that can't be right…_

"I-I'm sorry."

"What was that?" Inuyasha gestured wildly, leaning in at her.

"I can't even begin to explain," telling him would certainly do no good.

"Can you try?"

"No, not really," Not the answer he wanted. He groaned in frustration, turning away from her as she looked down in annoyance and in embarrassment because he had been concerned.

"Can't you trust me?" Trust him? She already had trusted him with the story of her life!

"Can you blame me if I don't?" she looked up defiantly at his back, ice laced in her words. He sighed in defeat.

"No." Why was this bothering him? What the hell did he care if something was wrong? And why the fuck was it eating him up if it felt like she couldn't trust him? He put a hand to his head to stop his thoughts. They were just annoying him too.

Kagome just shook her head wildly and slipped away into the earth.

"Kagome, wait-" she was gone. "Damnit!"

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Sango walked slightly behind Miroku and Shippo, watching Shippo chatter excitedly about Kagome and Miroku chuckle and agree with him. Sango wasn't really paying much attention to them however. She would be lying if she said that she hadn't thought about her parents in a long time. Her decimated family was the reason she had takenthe major she didand was working hard to get into a police academy. _Naraku…_

"Sango, would you like to walk with me?" Sango started out of her thoughts.

"What?"

"I asked if you would like to walk with me to Shippo's," he restated, smiling warmly. _What is he up to? _Sango thought suspiciously.

"All right…" she said carefully, throwing him a sideways glare. He just nodded and smiled again before joining Shippo slightly ahead of her. _What is he planning?_ She continued to wonder. Both he and Inuyasha knew she was an orphan, and that her brother was missing. But other than that, nothing. So maybe Miroku's request had nothing to do with Naraku at all?

Sango watched Miroku greet Shippo's guardians and walk back up to her with that same smile.

"Sango," he said after they had walked a little bit away from the house, "what's been troubling you?" Sango stopped walking, starring at him. _How did he know? _Miroku turned around, his smile gone. "Sango, please, something has been wrong since you went over to Inuyasha's. Since he told you about his past and Kagome's. There's something else too, isn't there?" How do you answer to that? How do you just tell someone your biggest trouble? Suddenly, Sango didn't see Miroku anymore. She saw her murdered parents. She saw herself pulling Kohaku away with her from the burning house. She saw evil red eyes and her brother…

"…my- bro-ther…" somehow she was now sobbing wildly in Miroku's arms. She didn't see anymore, she just cried. So long she had tried to bee strong, so hard she had tried to stay positive. She hadn't wanted her personal problems to get in the way of her life. She wanted to have faith and hope that everything would be okay, that someday she wouldn't have to move from house to house under protective custody. So long it had been since she cried.

"Sango, you can't always be strong," Sango looked up at Miroku who was smiling at her again, so kindly and without any suggestive themes for once. "You have kept this to yourself so long, please, allow your friends to help share the load." Sango nodded and continued to cry. They sat there like that for awhile, Sango finally feeling comfort.

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Kiwi: Yes, it is short. But that is a really good place to leave off. More pasts to be revealed! Desires to be answered! You are going to hate how I end all of this! Oh, and I couldn't resist a little San&Mir in there too. To make up for the lack of Inu&Kag. Don't worry, it shall arrive!

Oh, and here's just a blah I felt like saying: I FINISHED THE RUROUNI KENSHIN SERIES! It was really good. Just had to shout my joy to the world. Laterz.


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